It ain’t pretty, but it does work, at least for me. I have two lines, home and biz. I only have one phone line connection to my computer and I want it to do two things- let me use my home line to connect to the internet (don’t want a business line charge every time I log on) AND receive my business related messages. So I have an A/B switch I bought at radio shack attached to the line: A goes to home line, B goes to biz. All day I leave it on B so my computer is answering my biz messages, and when I want to log on, I switch it to A so it uses my home line for my internet hookup.
Now, here’s how I avoid missing any calls: my home line has phone company voice mail, so people get a message when I’m logged on. I didn’t want to pay for that for my biz line, since it’s more $, so I’ve got a splitter at the wall jack for my biz line so it goes to a regular phone AND my computer. So, when I’m logged on (using my A line) and my computer is not prepared to receive business messages, I simply answer the business phone if it rings. Got all that?
The trick is remembering to switch my phone back to B when I log off. Otherwise all my friends are greeted with “Hi. Thank you for calling Creative Property Solutions…” :^)
talksworks pro! Watch Out! - Posted by Lonnie Turner
Posted by Lonnie Turner on May 28, 1999 at 19:32:14:
Make sure this software package support your modem. it has a hard time working with PCI & winmodems. I have had the software for two or three months & i am still having trouble. Tech support said that I need to get a new modem on my brand spanking new HP P11 computer.
very good at receiving faxes as well. Remember Winfax Pro? TW Pro 2.0 has Winfax 9.0 in the box as the fax component–made by the same people these days. TW Pro is supposed to be capable of handling 2 lines if 2 modems are attached to the computer…haven’t tried THAT one yet…but the answering machine part works really well.
Also, if you use ACT! contact management software, it’s also made by the same people and is set up to work as one integrated system because of that.
In order to use Talkworks Pro, you will need to make sure you have a VOICE/fax/modem, as all fax modems do not handle voice. Visit www.symantec.com/talkworks/tw_modems.html to check their list of recommended modems, although they do say many other modems are compatible as well.
You can also download a trial version, I believe, from someplace on that website.
talkworks pro 2.0 by symantec is a very sophisticated package that will probably do much more than you need!
I picked up a copy on ebay (www.ebay.com) for $22. It retails for well over $100.
As it turns out, I’ve got problems with my system and I need a new sound card. So I actually haven’t even installed my copy yet (blush). I’ve been doing fine with the much simpler software, called quicklink, that came with my voice modem (you’ll need one of the those if you don’t have one; again, ebay may be a good bet for picking up one cheap). It has multiple mailboxes and I can call it from work and retrieve my messages. That’s really about all I need it to do right now.
Good luck. One thing that’s quite cool about the desktop systems is the sound quality is very good and you can have a nice long greeting if you want to. I’ve been quite happy with mine.
A question from a computer illiterate - Posted by Joseph Turner
Posted by Joseph Turner on May 28, 1999 at 11:39:54:
Is there a way to have my computer/software answer incoming calls without disconnecting me from the internet? I currently have two lines in the house: one for regular use and one for internet.
the one for regular use cannot be used to accept business calls…and i would like to use the second for business and internet but i am afraid that everytime i get a call, i will be disconnected or the caller will get a busy signal…is there a way around this?